Lightbulbs
by Zelsuzu
Summary: "Marry me? Because I changed the lightbulbs?"


Kakashi finally made it to the gates of the village. Dirty, tired and drained he continued to walk home. Everything thing he passed seemed in slow motion, but at the same time equally blurry.

Slowly climbing the stairs to his apartment, fumbling with his keys as he approached the door. But before he had a chance to put the key in the lock the door swung open.

_Iruka._

"Welcome home," The man in the doorway breathed. Gathering the empty man in a passionate embrace, Kakashi finally gave in to exhaustion.

--

He woke to the smell of breakfast, or maybe was it lunch? The last few missions had messed up his sense of time. All of them A-rank and reasonably long but every time he came back, all 8 missions in the last 9 months Kakashi came home. _To Iruka no less_, and his features softened at the thought of the kind younger man. Sitting up Kakashi realised it was the afternoon...late afternoon, sky already beginning to merge with night. He also realised he was naked... and clean. A small blush crept across his face.

"Well, you're finally awake." Iruka walked in the door, carrying a large tray of soup.

"Chicken soup," he said noticing Kakashi eying it. Placing the tray over him, he walked out of the room. Kakashi watched him leave, how after all this time could he still be so gentle and patient to me? How many times have I come home covered in crusted blood and who knows what else, barely staying awake or unable to speak? He came back seconds later with his tray.

"C'mon eat up." Iruka began to eat his, and Kakashi welcoming obeyed. The finished their soup in a comfortable silence. Lazily placing their trays on the floor and before they knew it they were both asleep.

--

"Iruka... Ru?" Kakashi shook the sleeping man gently, his voice still hoarse "Don't you have classes today?" Kakashi cleared his throat and suddenly the warmth next to him disappeared and Iruka shot up frantically.

"Crap, if I'm late the kids will never let me live it down..." He raced out of the bedroom into the bathroom. Kakashi smiled to himself, turning over onto his back so he could just see Iruka through the doorframe. _Yeah, they wouldn't._

"Kashi, if you get time today..." Iruka began, pausing as he left the room. "Could you please change the light bulbs..." He continued, coming through the bedroom door and into the bathroom again, this time dressed. "The eco-friendly ones are on the table, we were-" He glanced around the bedroom hurriedly, before Kakashi pointed to the dresser. Iruka smiled and retrieved his hairband. "ah... were supposed to change them ages ago...but before that, make sure you finish your report. Then you're officially on break." Iruka quickly kissed Kakashi on the forehead as he rushed out of the apartment.

The suddenly alone ninja laid there for a moment, savouring the lingering smell of his lover before getting up and starting the day.

--

His report was finished before lunch, he looked down at it and didn't really care of the fact it looked like chicken scratch, chuckling at the thought of someone having to try and decode it. His chakra still not completely replenished he thought it best to walk to the mission room. His first mistake.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" he turned to see a pink streak making its way through the crowd. He snickered, raising an eyebrow at his growing student.

"Yes Sakura..." Was all he could manage before she clung to his middle, squeezing impressively hard. "Well, well... You're training with Tsunade must be going well,"

"Mhm! Talking of which, she asked to see you today." She grinned mischievously, Kakashi sighed.

"Thank you Sakura-chan." He made to walk away but Sakura moved to fall into stride next to him. _I wonder what she wants? _

"So have you heard?" Sakura asked after a while. Wondering which piece of gossip she was referring too, he shook his head, causing her to giggle frantically. Great, he thought to himself, this is going to be a long walk. From there she began to vividly recall an encounter that she had heard from Kiba, who had heard it from his sister because she was told by Ino's older sister. About said Ino, and the young genius Shikamaru. Kakashi 'sadly' found it hard to keep up with the speed Sakura was talking, running his hand through his hair, he simply nodded at what he deemed appropriate times.

At long last the mission room came into view. Sakura finally waved a goodbye and Kakashi waved in return, before turning back and pausing for a moment taking a deep breath_. Silence. _Smiling gently and thankful for his mask, he walked through the door. Swiftly making his way to hand in his report and leave again, not wanting another verbal essay about what has been happening while he has been away. Thankfully he made it out without a single person talking to him, but then his heart fell as he remembered Tsunade. Better get this over with.

Predicting the time of the day, he headed straight towards the hospital. Skilfully avoiding a particular ramen shop on his route, he slipped into Tsunades office effortlessly.

"Brat! excellent timing for once" Her broad grin unsettling, even for such a seasoned ninja. "I need you too.."

"Oh no," Kakashi jumped in as he saw her fiddling with a scroll. "I've handed in my report, I'm on break for the next 3 blissful weeks. So unless the village is under some catastrophic danger from some crazed lunatic or used my own defence, these fingers are not going to be touching another weapon. And by the looks of the empty sake bottles and broken raffle stubs you are trying to hide in that bin over there..." Kakashi pointed with emphasis, Tsunade cringed, "I seriously doubt that there is any immediate threat to this village, so if you don't mind..." He turned dramatically and began to make his way towards the door.

"Oh, calm down Kakashi," She waved her hand dismissively. "This isn't an ordinary mission scroll, actually it's not even for you. It's for Naruto." Kakashi raised his eyebrow, and turned around to face her. "And before you say anything, I was going to ask if you think he had the ability to go on a mission with Shino as leader."

"Is this mission so serious, that he needs my consult for you to trust him?" He spared a thought for Iruka. He and Naruto were very close and if Kakashi was to send him on a death mission it would not only affect him, because the knucklehead was hard not to love, but the thought of paining his loved one was... difficult to picture. Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck contemplating.

"Well, the seriousness of every mission to crucial you know that. But, it would be the first mission since Sasuke left... and I just wanted to ask..." She looked down.

"I understand. You needed to know if he was emotionally stable, to be able to retain his strength." Kakashi paused, "And the fox's."

Tsunade looked up, keeping her gaze steady. The silence drew out.

"I do believe he is fine. But I don't believe he should receive your doubt, he is stronger than people think." Not caring about his condition, he teleported out.

Only making it half way home on his abused chakra, Kakashi had time to think and walk.

_How could Tsunade doubt him so blatantly?_ _After everything he has ever done. She doubted him when he was mastering with Rasengan, and he still wears the necklace to prove to her he could do it. The feeling is so familiar, to be classified by a title or reputation. People treat him as an enigma, something not to be trusted. It is frustrating that even the Hokage seems to be as narrowminded as the rest of them._

Kakashi laugh quietly. When had Naruto got under his skin?

The sun was beginning to dip underneath the skyline, as Kakashi took the familiar steps up into his apartment. The day didn't turn out as planned, with annoying as always mission report, then Sakura leaving him slightly deaf and with the mental image of blonde haired genius florists running around soon AND not to mention the small run in with Tsunade. But now, as he opened the door Kakashi felt calm. He was home.

Closing the door behind him, he scanned the room briefly. The lights were off, the calm subsided filled with a small pang of dread. _Shouldn't Iruka be home by now?_

As if on cue, Iruka came rushing in.

"Wait, wait... let me." He said smiling as he flicked the switch, light filling the room.

Kakashi gasped and his eyes widened. "Oh- you changed the lightbulbs,"

"Don't sound so disappointed," Iruka chuckled helping the older man off with his ninja jacket.

"I'm not, it's just I was supposed to do that for you."

"For us." Iruka corrected, "Well, I thought you must have got caught at the mission room to be so late home. I didn't think you would mind." He smiled again making his way into the kitchen.

"I don't..." Kakashi followed, sitting across on the opposite side of the counter.

"Tea?" Iruka said eventually as he made his way around the kitchen, turning on the kettle in the process.

"That's just like you. You continually care for me no matter what. How know how you do it all. I come home your here for me, I'm at the hospital your here for me, i don't make inside the gate you come and get me. I do hardly anything to return for you," Silencing the objecting Iruka with a small shake of his head, "No matter what happens your always there, loving me almost unconditionally."

"Almost?" the younger man interrupted who was starring mouth slightly ajar at the hunched over man at the other end of the counter. Kakashi never said sweet words, and practically had no tact in matters of the heart. This outburst where ever it came from Iruka was sure he wasn't going to miss it.

"And that to me," He went on, "is how I imagine family should feel like." Kakashi himself wasn't sure where this was heading. He didn't expect to be saying this, but after everything that happened over the past months he realised that he never wanted to come home to an empty house again.

"That's what I want us to be,...Would you be my family Iruka," Kakashi paused as he realised what he was implying. "Marry me Iruka." Shocked by his own words, he looked down fearing the answer.

"Marry me? Because I changed the light bulbs?" croaked Iruka finally. Kakashi didn't answer, he held himself closer as he waited for what he thought was the imminent rejection.

Iruka forgot about the squealing kettle next to him, and walked slowly to where the man was sitting. Grabbing his hands forcefully, turning Kakashi to face him. His visible eye swelling with emotion Iruka couldn't place, until he saw the spark of longing as their gaze meet and his heart felt like it had just run a marathon. Thrusting their lips together, he snickered as Kakashi only mildly responded. He pulled away and looked at the confused man.

"Yes Kakashi, I will marry you."

* * *

Please review! My last story didnt even get one... i dont think im THAT bad at this lol... Kakashi maybe abit OOC... What do you think? :)

xoxo and thanks in advance for clicking da green!


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